Dahana

2. Ekachakra

The floors and walls of the halls were marble, inlaid with gold. Every hall seemed to have a pattern for the stone sculptures that were set in the walls. The one that Mahendra and Suryaketu walked down was lined with depictions of cruel Danavas, whose very appearance sent terror into their hearts. But they steeled themselves and marched onward.

Mahendra kept careful account of which turns they took, so that there was no chance that they might be lost. No matter where they looked, they could find nothing resembling a restroom. There were rooms that looked like classrooms, closets, and unused bedrooms, but nothing else of note.

Finally, Mahendra said, "You're just going to have to hold it. Come on, let's head back."

Suryaketu grumbled but did not say anything in disagreement. They walked back the way they had come, taking care to avoid looking at the asuras that watched them as they went. Mahendra began to realize something was wrong. These passageways looked similar to the ones they had gone on, but they were not the same—the Danavas were replaced by yakshas. The statues of the portly little men—no, spirits—unnerved them both. These seemed living somehow to the two of them in a way the Danavas had not.

Without exchanging a word, the two of them broke into a sprint. Mahendra led them, trying to follow the directions he knew even as he was beginning to suspect they had no meaning here. The yakshas gave way to gandharvas. These hallways felt more mellow, and they paused to catch their breath.

Only then did they notice that the floors and walls had changed—instead of marble and gold, they were standing on wood. Somewhere nearby there was the sound of a waterfall. Curious, they advanced forward.

At the end of the hallway was a door. It was unlike the other wooden doors they had seen throughout the mansion; it was made of bronze, and on it was carved an image of a lotus. The two youths looked at each other, then Mahendra opened the door.

Outside was a large park, the kind of thing one would find near the palace of a king; an udyana. There were trees, but not densely packed. Most of them were in bloom even though it was not the season. It was bathed in sunshine even though it was nighttime. In the middle of everything ran a small, swift stream. A little ways in the distance was the waterfall they had heard.

"Finally," said Suryaketu. "Somewhere to relieve myself."

Mahendra laughed. "Aren't you a prince? Shouldn't you have more shame."

"Kings and commoners alike, everyone has to pee," replied Suryaketu, with the air of a philosopher.

"Well, go on then. I'm going to go take a look at that waterfall." So saying, Mahendra headed upstream. It was not a big waterfall—only a little taller than he was. He looked around. It was very beautiful. The kind of place where gandharvas and apsaras showed up in the stories. He wondered idly if he would meet any after he joined the Maya Gana. They said that the strange and the unexpected gathered around those who dared to use magic. Did that include the good as well as the bad?

Feeling thirsty after running through all those hallways, Mahendra bent downward and dipped his hands into the water. It was cool to the touch. He brought his hands to his face and gulped down a sip of the stream's water.

Almost instantly he fell to the earth with a crash.

"Mahendra!" shouted Suryaketu from behind him. There was no need to yell, thought Mahendra. He could see the problem in front of him. There was a man standing before him, his skin grey as ash, his eyes red as fire, and fanged like a wolf. He wore steel armor and brandished a giant gada.